I can also sell it directly for $2795 including shipping to the United States by UPS from Australia. Other international shipping is also available, as well as within Australia. More details and photos are available in those two listings linked above, and any questions just ask.
Vintage 1970 Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 valve amp. "AP" (All Purpose) model designed for guitar. Early production low serial number 8xx (kept private for the buyer), built by Dave Reeves in his New Malden garage prior to the Kingston factory production. Original four input, early circuit design - and inspection appears to show all original components right through, apart from one pot which has a 1972 date code (same model pot as the others which are dated to 1969). As far as can be determined there are no other changed components aside from the valves. The original yellow-stickered Partridge transformers are intact and going strong.
Audio-wise this amp is a dream. It's in perfect working condition, clean pots and signal, and basically zero inherent noise in the circuitry. Even set at a very loud volume, the standing amp noise is almost non-existent. Excellent physical condition also as pictured. The chassis bolts and back panel screws are replacements.
Much appreciated. It might be a regretful sale one day... I've got a '69 201 that I use for most things, and I picked this up for convenience mostly. Moving around the heavier 201 is a bit of a drag, but realistically I only need one amp and I do some bass stuff as well which it's more suited to on the power side of things (it was actually built with a half power switch too which is useful).
This 103 is amazing, but I'm not really rich enough to justify keeping two amps... I first thought of maybe selling the 201 instead, but on further consideration it suits my needs better. It's preaching to the converted on here I know - but Hiwatts are it for me. Everything else went out the door when I first got my 201. Prior to that it was a Marshall JMP and Ampeg SVT double attack machine, but the 201 takes on double duties...
Yes, early tone stack of the pre '71 variety. That was why I bought this one in particular as a second amp to my 201, which being a '69 is pretty similar in the tone department. Before this one I had picked up a '72 103 but it was just a little too perfect and clean for me. Being able to push the preamp around 7-8 gets a nice slight edge to it. My '72 was pretty much clean right through to 10. Which is amazing in itself though...
Different people want different things, so yes it depends what anyone's looking for I guess. When I first got my 201 I didn't actually realise that the early ones had the Marshall style tone setup - and I was already amazed at how clean it was. But then later after having played on the '72 as well I just found that with the early ones you can get the best of both worlds and have a little more versatility. Well for my tastes that is... It actually took me a while to find this amp too.
And on the price - sorry I'm not really open to offers on it at the moment. Almost $300 of that $2795 is in the shipping from Australia. So it's basically priced at $2500 plus shipping. That might be too much for an international sale though in which case I'll hang on to it until a local sale eventually. I had it sent over from England myself, so shipping is often a necessary evil with these things.
Wow that amp seems like it would sound really cool. I know shipping is a pain. I literally just sold one of my Travis Bean guitars to a gentleman Melbourne. The only way affordable to get the guitar to him is to slide out the neck and condense package size.
Anyways, super cool amp. I am taking the funds from that Bean sale, strictly for the purpose of buying a Hiwatt. However, Im trying to also get a cab as well for around $3.5K.
Perhaps Ill be in touch with you. Good luck with your sale. Beautiful amp.....
Hi, sure - thanks for the replies. You're welcome to message me down the line if you want to. I actually wrote a reply here a couple of days ago, but was logged out somehow when I went to submit... So I lost what I wrote and haven't had a chance to write anything else until now.
Yes it is a great sounding amp for sure. I'm not selling because I don't like it that's for sure. I sold my all-original '72 DR103 (including original Mullards) to buy this when I eventually found it. The tone section is Marshall-style in its circuitry configuration, but the amp doesn't sound like a Marshall. It just has a higher gain at the front end and running through the tone section, meaning you can push it a little more at the louder end when you want to.
I run the preamp on my 201 (which has a similar tone setup) anywhere between 5-9 normally. 5-6 is still very clean, and also nice and punchy. I like a strong preamp signal, whether it's clean or dirty... At 7-8 you start to get some rasp which I like a lot, then at 9 is a great tube overdrive - due to the fact that it's overdriving the tubes:D . So having that extra element to play with makes all the difference for me and what I do, but it's all personal taste of course. To me the sound is more dimensional - that's about the only way I could describe it, and that may not make sense to anyone other than me anyway... The vast majority of 103's are of the final post '71 layout, so that's what most people know and love - and that's the most recognisable Hiwatt tone. It's close to 100% clean right through (at least my '72 was) which is a feat in itself. My '72 was a beautiful amp; just not completely suited to me. The early circuit version 103 and 201 amps though are pretty much perfect to my ears.
I had an SE4123 cab with this amp that I sold locally a month or so ago. Shipping that overseas would have been ridiculously expensive, but also there are only actually a handful of original Hiwatt cabs in Australia anyway - so it was good to keep it here. I'm using a 4129 cab with my 201 and it's fantastic. The cabs really are an essential part of the sound. When you play on one, you definitely don't have to try and convince yourself or pretend it sounds better - it's obvious as soon as you plug in. After many years of playing with Marshall JMP's, Ampeg SVT's, Vox AC30's, Fender Twins, Sovtek heads and a couple others - learning about Hiwatt and then actually playing one was just a massive jump for me. It's not hype, boutique-ness, or more underground cool - they're just amazing sounding amps.
$3500 for a nice 103 + 4123 pair might be a little lucky, but the market is down in general at the moment, so it's a good time to buy for sure. Anyway, good luck with your search.
